TOGETHER, WE CAN NOT ONLY ACCELERATE MENTAL WELLNESS IN OUR WORKPLACES,
WE CAN ACCELERATE HOPE for us all.
Let's co-create a future where we all feel worthy. Where we all can flourish.
Mental health stigma festering in our workplaces is keeping far too many suffering in silence and in shame and far too many from reaching out for needed support. And, when those who summon up the courage to reach out, despite stigma, for mental health support at work, are their pleas being answered? Or, are they getting laid off or fired? Or leaving voluntarily because they don't feel supported?
In this country alone, 39% of U.S. employees agreed their mental health is worse today than in January 2020. Yet almost three-quarters (74%) of over 4,300 respondents across 50 States in a recent survey said their companies have not invested in their mental health needs since the onset of the pandemic. Hopelessness is the leading predictor of suicide. Are our workplaces helping to shift people from a state of hopelessness to a state of hopefulness, and offering hope? The Great Resignation, coupled with increasing suicide rates, clearly suggests the answer is a resounding no. Something has to be done. We must eradicate stigma in our workplaces, rebuild corporate cultures on a foundation of empathy and provide needed mental health programs and supports. We simply have to provide our employees with hope. That is where our grassroots social-change campaign comes in. This is where our Founder's personal story also comes in: they other 'why" behind this campaign. personal NOTE FROM OUR founder ABOUT WHY SHE STARTED global SOCIAL-CHANGE ADVOCACY MOVEMENT: HER STORYWE'RE REPLACING THE WALL OF STIGMA WITH WALL OF SOLIDARITY. AND HUMANIZING STIGMA WITH STORYTELLING. BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. WE NEED YOUR HELP.We are now moving to galvanize mental advocates and concerned citizens to show Corporate America and workplaces across the world, we have had enough. The wall of stigma must come down. We must have empathy, kindness, compassion and caring in our workplaces. We must offer our employees the needed mental health programs and supports. Not only does it make business sense, it makes common sense.
If those who are concerned, particularly those with lived experience who have suffered stigma or been fired or laid off because of mental health discrimination, stand together and collaborate, we can interweave a more inclusive story both persuasive enough to change society and powerful enough to shine a light on what the future should look like. A future of no stigma. A future with where we lose fewer precious souls far too soon. A future of mental wellness. A future of hope. A future where we all can flourish. Let's work together to create stigma-free workplaces, rebuilt on a foundation of empathy and caring, by sharing our lived experiences. A key to ending stigma (please read systemic discrimination) is to humanize it with storytelling. Per Patrick Kennedy's insight regarding suicide, we don't need to intellectualize stigma, we need to humanize it. We need to do the same with mental health stigma in our workplaces. Accelerating mental wellness global social-change campaign to create stigma-free workplacesAccelerating Mental Wellness is a grassroots cause-advocacy campaign now underway, and officially launching with a press release and corporate sponsor in January 2022. In preparation, we are galvanizing mental health advocates and concerned citizens from around the globe to show the world we support stigma-free support workplaces through sharing of selfies and stories.
Given our unique lens, we can shift workplace cultures and change the workplace in ways other stakeholders simply can not. Our voices of insight, pain and suffering can influence and shape understanding on a truly deep and human level. |
kerry martin
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How do workplaces become certified as stigma-free? takE A pledge to meet our workplace wellness criteria and stay in compliance
How can you help? 3 simple Ways for you to supportThis is a rallying cry to advocates and concerned citizens to come together. To share our selfies and our stories in a collaborative and coordinated campaign to accelerate social change on behalf of those who are suffering in silence and shame. With must step up and speak out, a calling more salient in light of the Great Resignation.
Whilst it is easy to build a business case for workplaces to integrate mental health access and programming as a benefit, let's come together to do the hard work. Let's build a human case for rebuilding our workplaces on a foundation of empathy and caring. If you are a mental health advocate or concerned citizen of the world, please consider joining us and raising your voice. Let's all stand up and be heard. And together, be so loud that eventually they must not only listen but TAKE A PLEDGE to either acknowledge the importance of this initiative or take concrete steps to create a stigma-free workplace with appropriate mental health programming and supports for employees. [1] Support with a Selfie and help us build our wall of solidarity in place of the wall of stigma. Upload a headshot and stand alongside other fellow advocates and concerned citizens in support of this campaign.
[2] Support with a Story and help us build our human case. The business case is a no brainer. Upload a personal story speaking to an issue touched on by this campaign. For example, work place stigma (read discrimination) you have experienced in a previous or current workplace and how it impacted you or your life choices; how a lack of empathy and caring in your workplace has affected you; why you feel it is important for workplaces to adopt a more empathic and supportive environment, as well as mental health programming and supports, for those struggling with mental health concerns.
[3] Support with a share (after Jan go-live): Help us raise awareness by sharing in your social channels. After all stories are curated and social media calendar is finalized, you will be notified when to share your story and the appropriate campaign hashtags to use. You are also free to share other advocate stories along with our general campaign social content.
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Leanna Lee, Campaign contributorFUTURE OF WORK AND WELLBEING WRITER, CO-HOST OF BETTERMENTAL |